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Life On Lookout

Mountain Bike Rentals Now Available at Cloudland Canyon State Park

02-Mar-2017by Merrell McGinness

If you’ve ever considered mountain biking but haven’t taken the plunge…you just ran out of excuses. Cloudland Canyon State Park now offers mountain bike rentals. The Marin Bobcat Trail bikes cost $35 for half-day rentals and $55 for all day. Payments are made at the park visitor center, and mountain bikes can be picked up at the park’s interpretative center.

The 5-Points Recreation Area and it’s approximately 20 miles of rollercoaster single-track has been a mountain biking mecca since it opened in 2011. But the trails connected to it also draw regional riders for the chance to bike from Cloudland Canyon State Park to Lula Lake Land Trust.

This January, construction began for the Chattanooga Connector Trail – an almost 3-mile “missing link” between Covenant College and Lula Lake Land Trust. Once complete, riders can go from Chickamauga Dam downtown all the way to Cloudland Canyon.

You can take the new rentals on the 14-mile Cloudland Connector Trail to the Five Points Recreation Area. Experience singletrack trails ranging in difficulty from moderate to strenuous, featuring contour line trails, loops and challenging jumps.

Cloudland Canyon State Park also offers a Mountain Bike Hike every Tuesday and Sunday from March through November, where you can rent bikes (or bring your own) and explore the trails led by an interpretive ranger. While you’re at it, consider joining Georgia’s Muddy Spokes Club and tackle 68 miles of trails in 11 Georgia state parks.

Stay the night or spend the weekend in Cloudland Canyon State Park. Options range from fully-equipped and comfortable cottages to quirky yurts. There are also several camping and backpacking options, including backcountry campsites or RV camping.

GETTING THERE:From Cloudland Canyon State Park, you can access the Cloudland Connector Trail from the southeast corner of the park at the Backcountry trailhead, in the same location as the disc golf course. This section of the park has a parking lot, picnic area and bathrooms.